


Culture Clash

by zombiefishgirl



Series: Of Ardour and Adoration [11]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 22:31:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4539936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombiefishgirl/pseuds/zombiefishgirl





	Culture Clash

She had only gone to her quarters that afternoon to fetch a book she had borrowed from Dorian so it was purely by accident that she spotted the new fur spread across her bed. She wondered for a moment where it had come from. It was not unusual for one noble or another to try and curry her favour by sending her gifts but they always came to her through Josephine as the Ambassador was fastidious about noting who sent what and when. None of the servents would have left it there, they knew how particular she was about her room and if it was a gift from one of her friends they surely would have told her about it. She reached down and ran her fingers through it, bear fur she decided, it was very soft and luxurious, she thought with a smile that this would definitely keep her warm at night. Well warmer, Cullen did an excellent job of keeping her warm. Cullen! She suddenly remembered that he had spent the previous day hunting with some nobles on the insistence of Josephine, he had not been looking forward to it but she was certain that this was a trophy of one of his kills.  
A short gasp escaped her lips as unbidden the thought came to her "Is he proposing!?" but then no, she reflected with a brief and surprising pang of disappointment, he is a human, they propose with rings, not by presenting their intended with a pelt. She stifled a giggle as she thought how he would blush if she told him what such a gift meant to the Dalish. The door suddenly opened and she heard her vhenan climb the stairs. He paused briefly when he saw her as he always did after a little time apart, as if he could not quite believe that she was real.  
"I see you found your gift," his voice was like honey to her and she shook herself out of her reverie.  
"I did, it is lovely, ma serannas."  
A lopsided smile came to his lips like the sun suddenly shining, "I know how you dislike the cold and with winter approaching I thought this might help keep you comfortable."  
"I am sure it will, I look forward to lying with you under it," she put a special emphasis on this last part and the air around them suddenly felt slightly charged with heat. A most becoming blush came to his cheeks, no doubt as he imagined all the ways they could and would enjoy each other.  
Stepping forward lightly, she kissed his cheek, holding herself just a little closer than was strictly necessary and for a little longer too. "Until tonight ma vhenan?"  
She left their quarters, swaying her hips a little, knowing he was watching and enjoying the attention.  
***  
That evening Cullen found himself dragged to the tavern for a quick drink with Dorian and The Iron Bull when all he wanted to do was climb into bed with Sarita and let her know just how much he missed her during his day hunting with the nobles. He was still not entirely certain why he had to go and not her, she after all was one of the best hunters of her clan but it had been worth it to present her with such a fine trophy. An image came to his mind, unbidden of how she would look wearing nothing but the fur. Candle and firelight dancing over her soft milky flesh, her raven hair tousled and loose down her shoulders and her eyes widened, her lips parted slightly as she reached out a hand to him. Her voice, heavy with lust whispering his name...  
"Fascinating people the Dalish," Dorian's voice jostled him out of his reverie. He appeared to be addressing Bull but he got the impression that what he was saying was meant for his benefit. "I was reminded when our lovely Sarita returned a book to me today about a piece of trivia I heard long ago. You see even though the males and females hunt in equal measure it is apparently a custom, as a sort of display of how a young man may provide and care for his intended, that when a couple wishes to make their union rather more permanent, for the male to present the female with the pelt of one of his kills. I suppose it must be difficult for one raised with such traditions to have to remind herself that this is not the way of the "shemlen" as her people might say. Perhaps even when one has been sharing her bed with a strapping young templar for the better part of a year or two. Why they might even feel a pang of disappointment at this fact." Dorian paused to take a large sip of his drink. "What do you think Commander?"  
Cullen knew the mage was probably hoping to embarrass the Commander, no doubt Sarita had told him of the gift he had been so proud of. Perhaps the mage excepted him to curse his foolishness on forgetting a custom of the people that raised the woman he loved, perhaps he expected him to panic at the idea of marriage. In truth his heart felt fit to burst as he fingered the ring that had been burning a hole in his pocket for the better part of a month as he tried to work up the courage to offer it to her. There was no room for embarrassment or panic, all he could think of, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, was that she had been disappointed, even a little, at realising it was not intended as a proposal. He chortled softly to himself as he realised that their Ambassador most certainly would have known of such a custom and the reasons that she had insisted upon sending him hunting became a little more clear.  
He cleared his throat before steadying himself and standing to leave for the quarters he shared with Sarita. "Gentlemen," he nodded at Dorian and Bull as he tried to walk casually out the door, resisting the urge to run like a schoolboy in order to give her another gift. One he was now more certain she would welcome.


End file.
